Odisha bagged 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016 and Haryana has bagged ‘Best Horticulture State’ award for increasing the income of the farmers in horticulture at the National Level gathering of important stake-holders in agriculture development at the Agriculture Leadership Summit at New Delhi.
About Agriculture Leadership Summit and Award :-
9th Global Agriculture Leadership Summit 2016, organized by icfa.org.in, in New Delhi. The theme is “Growing Farmer Income Sustainably”
- Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) have awarded Odisha in the category of Best Agriculture State-2016 in recognition of the efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.
- The National Awards Committee has recognized the sustained policy initiatives by the Government of Odisha with pro-farmer programmes that have been instrumental in agricultural development which is evident from the State recording 22.7% growth in foodgrains production from 96.36 lakh MTs in 2013-14 to 118.24 lakh MTs during 2014-15.
- Similar has been the achievement of the State in increasing the productivity of foodgrains. Seed Replacement Rate (SRR) in paddy, which is one of the key contributors to higher production and productivity along with technology inputs, has increased to a record high of 35.57% during 2015-16.
- Odisha Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Pradeep Maharathy received the award from Haryana Governor K S Solanki at a function at New Delhi.
- Instituted by the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) in 2008, the award is given annually to the individuals and organizations in recognition of excellence and leadership roles played towards development of agriculture linked to the lives of millions of farmers.
- The State which has brought out a progressive Agriculture Policy in 2013 has also been the pioneer in giving the status of industry to agriculture sector.
- Odisha has also leapfrogged in farm mechanization sector wherein enhanced assistance to the tune of 75% of the cost of farm machineries has lead to increase in farm power input from just 0.85 KW/ha. in 2008 to 1.55 KW/ha. in 2015-16.
- The Agriculture Policy has also lead to establishment of 3200 Commercial Agri Enterprises including Agro Service Centres, Broillers, Poultry, etc. in the last 5 years.T
- The State is on a path of implementing further progressive programmes to give greater boost to the agriculture sector. ICFA in recognition of the efforts have awarded the State in the category of Best Agriculture State for the year 2016.
Haryana bagged Best Horticulture State award
- The award was received by Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar at two-day 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016.
- The state would also set biggest Horticulture Mandi of the country at Ganaur which is similar to the pattern of Rungis Mandi of France and Shenzhen Mandi of China.
About Odisha :
Odisha is one of the 29 states of India, located in the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, and Andhra Pradesh to the south and south-west. Odisha has 485 kilometres of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east, from Balasore to Malkangiri.
- It is the 9th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census.
- The ancient kingdom ofKalinga, which was invaded by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in 261 BCE resulting in the Kalinga War, coincides with the borders of modern-day Odisha.
- The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.
- The region is also known as Utkala and is mentioned in India’s national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana“. Cuttack was made the capital of the region by Anantavarman Chodaganga in 1135, after which the city was used as the capital by many rulers, through the British era until 1948. Thereafter, Bhubaneswar became the capital of Odisha.
